The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1887-05-06

tAItt ~ MOUND.
Although the gum has lost its elasticity for
the time 1t Is very adhesive consequently it
| is necessary to wind with it d sheet Of stocki-
net to prevent the whole from becoming
worthless mass upon the reel. The latter
when filled is taken upon light barrow
made for the purpose and conveyed to the
'cutting-room." The sole stock is treated in
the same manner, being run under a roll en-
graved as the sole appears on new pair of
shoes. This is not reeled, however, but cut
off in sheets and carried to the cutters on
frames.
In the cutting-room, the uppers, soles, in
ner soles and Innings are cut according to the
sizes which the ticket of the day. issued by
the order clerk, calls for. The Innings are
usually of blue stockinet though in some
| fancy shoes like ladies' scroquets, sandals and
footholds'' all colors Of the rainbow appear.
These different parts are placed in what
are termed books" sheets of cotton cloth
securely bound, and taken to the shoemakers,
Shoes are made by women and very expert
some of them become. The lining is first
lasted and the inner sole secured by ce-
ment whose adhesive qualities put to the
blush the tenacity with which country
pOotllhoCCl S1AA1k5o w LIS OAAOCs Liz upper Is
then LASTED and smoothed into position
with roller resembling the castor of a bed
stead. The outer sole is then cemented on
and tool called 'stitcher' Ia handle to
little wheel with teeth) is with dexterous
movement of the hand run around the edge
for the two-fold purpose of securing the sole
and giving it finished appearance. The
roller, stitcher, cement brush and pair of
scissors are all the tools required. The shee
| completed is placed on a ''shoe stick" fiat
bar of iron with two pegs at an equal dis
tance apart, upon which the last with two
holes to admit the pegs is impaled. This
''shoe stick" slips into rack on the table in
front of the shoemaker, and when filed with
shoes is taken by the car boy and placed in
the slots of car that is moved from one end
of the room to the other, as occasion de-
mands. This car is simply a frame on
wheels, made of two-ineh gas pipe, and when
| loaded with shoes is run over tramway to
the ''heater'' and into the cheat after they
are vanished.
The ''heat'. consists of small apartments,
each sufficiently large to admit two cars.
They are lined with steam pipes, and
after closing, the heavy doors are nearly,
| Ill tlSub nO otCdlA 10 CuIuCO Ol duQ CQG
shoes are subjected to an intense heat for
seven hours. A small wicket in the door
enables the attendant, who must be an ex-
| pert, to watch the Thermometer hung on
the inside; for it is very easy matter
to burn rather than vulcanize the
shoes. Before the cheat is drawn yentila-
tors to these hot closets-which communicate
with the outer air-are opened by ropes for
that purpose. When sufficiently cooled the
doors are opened, and when the cars can be
handled with comfort they are drawn and
trundled to the packing room," where the
shoes are stripped from the lasts. Now be-
hold the second chemical change. The elias
ITCHY of which the gum was bereft has been
restored by the heat.
In the packing ROOM the shoes are
| inspected, assorted, the width and size mark
stamped upon the shank with red ink,
strung and packed ready for shipment.
The gum intended for boots after be-
ing compounded and ground, is passed to the
boot calenders, sheeted, then to the cutting
room, where the different parts are cut
thence to the bootmakers. As this work is very
hard only men are employed. The process is
similar to shoemaking in SO far as cementing
the different parts together is concerned, but
"boot-trees' are used instead of lasts, and
they are lined with felt. When they leave
the bootmaker the treatment is identical
with the shoes, unless the effect known as
! dull finish" is desired, when the boots are
not vanished. Arctic overshoes are made
in like manner to shoes, excepting that the
outer covering is of black cashmeret,
'heeled' and clipped with ornamental
strips of rubber and lined with WOOL
In well-conducted factory nothing is
wasted. In the cutting" ''shoe," Arctic"
and "boot rooms large quantity of trim
mings accumulate. These are gathered in
baskets and taken to the rag machine, with
corrugated rolls like the cracker in the wash
room," which grinds and mashes them into
great pulpy sheets from which are cut the
rag or inner soles for boots, shoes and Arctics
| by ingenious die machines. Heels for boots
are made from stock especially prepared,
placed in molds and subjected to heavy
pressure. One no inconsiderable item of
1 expense is the lasts, which must be replaced
by new ones every month. The intense heat
of vulcanizing the shoes in short time
| cracks them, when of course they are worth
less. Unskilled labor is employed in the
wash, +" grinder" and calender rooms,
and as assistants throughout the works;
skilled labor in the compromising" "cut-
ting" "shoe, F" Arctic and ''boot'' rooms.
Rubber workers, as class, are very
nomadic people, many of the "old stagers''
paying biennial visits to all the factories in
the country. These people are fairly intelli-
gent, but with the exception of those who
rise to the position of overseers they fall in
this respect below the average mechanic.
Simple laborers are paid from So to $40 per
week, while skilled workmen and women
can earn at piecework from $12 to $40 per
week. s. G.
THE NATIONAL DRILL.